This version succeeds the Long-Term Support (LTS) release of Blender 3.6, introduced nearly four months earlier, marking the first substantial upgrade to the platform since. Blender is a cross-platform, open-source application designed for a variety of functions, including the creation of 3D models and environments. Blender 4.0 emerges as an advanced iteration of the well-regarded 3D graphics suite.
Approximately two years subsequent to its last significant update, the Blender Foundation has unveiled Blender 4.0. The release encompasses several technical enhancements and newly incorporated features, augmenting its functionality across GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.
Noteworthy Technical Advancements in Blender 4.0:
Node Tools Expansion: This release introduces advanced Node tools, facilitating tool expansion and customization without the prerequisite of Python scripting. It also integrates nodes tailored for managing tool-specific data and implements geometry node groups as operable commands within the 3D view menus.
Light and Shadow Linking Control: The software now permits the assignment of lights to interact with designated objects in a scene and governs which objects obstruct light sources to cast shadows.
Hardware Compatibility Extensions: There is added support for AMD RDNA2 and RDNA3 APUs, broadening the software's hardware compatibility for rendering processes.
Principled BSDF Node Enhancements: The updated Principled BSDF node now accommodates an extended range of material types, thereby improving the material creation process.
Color Management System Improvements: The introduction of the AgX view transform aims to enhance color accuracy, particularly in over-exposed regions, replacing the previous Filmic view transform. For macOS users, an HDR display option is now accessible for those with HDR-capable monitors.
Additional Technical Enhancements: The software includes a variety of other improvements, such as the new Kuwahara filter node for a painterly effect, interactive timing adjustments for video sequencer strips, an updated pose library accessible via the asset shelf, collections for bone management, refined vertex mapping for B-Bone segments, and an improved method for reordering Non-Linear Animation (NLA) strips.
Performance Optimizations: Performance has been optimized, exemplified by a twofold speed increase for the Curve to Mesh node under certain conditions.
Blender 4.0 is available for download from the official website. The system requirements detail the necessity of OpenGL 4.3 or newer for Linux-based systems, and it is noted that there is no longer support for Intel HD4000 series GPUs.
For users seeking an exhaustive rundown of the updates and further information, the release notes on the Blender Foundation's website provide detailed insights. This latest release aims to refine Blender's capabilities and extend its applicability to meet diverse 3D graphics requirements.
